Cheryl and Liam Payne split because they had absolutely 'nothing in common', a new report claims.

The pair confirmed the end of their two-and-a-half-year romance on Monday, with rumours flying that the 11-year age gap proved to be the key to their undoing.

But a source claims it was actually down to the fact that they were never really suited - with Chez, 35, and Liam, 24, having different stances on everything from fame, social media and time spent with their one-year-old son Bear.

“At the end of the day, they’re totally different people who don’t have loads in common. Liam wants to make his pop career work, so he's happy to fly all over the world and keep in touch by Facetime," a source told The Sun .

"He's obsessed with social media and putting his life on there – he loves being famous. Cheryl on the other hand, is very private and her number one priority is Bear.

Liam and Cheryl split on Sunday (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

"She always puts him first, and loves to stay at home with him. In the end, they just didn't have much in common."

Indeed, while Cheryl rarely commented on their romance and went to great lengths to keep Bear out of the public eye, Liam loved an overshare, happily handing out intimate details in interview after interview.

From her 'insane' labour, to mocking her Geordie accent, no stone was left unturned.